1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to wireless communication networks and, more particularly, to cognitive radio networks.
2. Background of the Invention
Over the past few decades, the primary format in which multimedia content is stored and distributed has been shifting away from an analog format toward a digital format. One of the many advantages of digitally coding multimedia content is that compression methods can be applied to reduce the amount of storage space and bandwidth required for multimedia data storage and transmission. Thus, multimedia content can be digitally broadcast with higher quality (e.g. high definition) and using less bandwidth as compared to traditional analog broadcasts.
With these benefits in mind, the U.S. Congress has mandated that high power television broadcasters shift their broadcast signals from analog to digital by February 2009, which will free up RF spectrum between the digital channels, also known as white spaces, for other uses. An exception has been reserved, however, for certain licensed incumbent users, such as low power television stations and translators, which primarily serve local regions. User's who wish to transmit in any of the white space spectrums must therefore insure that their transmissions do not interfere with the transmissions of licensed users.